Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE ODYSSEY #1 Shoots For The Stars

This new Justice League series is off to a great start.

At the end of the No Justice event, an all-new Justice League sprung up. Unlike the regular Justice League and the Justice League Dark, this team was smaller and were heading for the stars. Cyborg looks at Brainiac’s ship and thinks of the entire sector of planets that was released in the aftermath. He decides to lead a team into this new frontier. This team consists of Starfire, Azrael, and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz. As they head into the great unknown of this Ghost Sector, someone else is watching them: Darkseid. Why would the god of Apokolips be watching these fledgling heroes?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

We learn that the entire sector is essentially a maelstrom full of dangerous creatures and planets. The Guardians of the Universe have set up a perimeter to ensure that nothing can get in or out until things settle. The only member of the Justice League that is allowed to be a sentry is Jessica Cruz. During her routine checking of the perimeter, she sees the Brainiac ship fly past her at breakneck speeds. Cyborg reveals that he his flying the ship into the sector in an attempt to keep order.

Along with him, Starfire hopes to find Tamaran, which had been lost when the planets were released. While they bicker about how many intergalactic laws they are breaking, Azrael reveals he stowed away in the ship. He is following a voice within the maelstrom and hopes it will lead to enlightenment. Before their fight can get any further, Jessica tries to stop them as they all enter the sector.

In terms of first issues, this was a pretty good one. It gave a simple prologue for those who didn’t read the previous event and goes further by explaining each of the characters’ motivations. You definitely don’t need to have read previous comics to understand these characters or personalities. I genuinely like the cast and their interactions with one another. While I knew Cyborg and Starfire would play off of each other, Azrael didn’t really feel out of place. I also enjoy this concept of a whole new sector that needs to be explored. It feels like an epic space adventure with a twist at the end that will hook readers guaranteed. I just wish this Justice League came sooner because I’m already loving it.

Art:

To go along with this epic opening, we have Stjepan Sejic as the illustrator. His style fits this story perfectly, making this adventure feel larger than life. The first two-page spread was breathtaking, showing this new sector beautifully. The character design is pretty phenomenal as well, especially for the Justice League. Starfire looks more royal and Cyborg has plenty of new details to make him look more machine. Even Azrael’s look is amazing, harkening back to his iconic look and amalgamating his new title as Agent of the Bat. The only thing I am not a fan of is the new design of Darkseid. The design appears to be going for a more cloth-based costume instead of the futuristic armor he has worn in the past. When he wore that, his look screamed new god. When I look at him now, however, he looks more like Ronan the Accuser from Guardians of the Galaxy. That aside, the book looks extraordinary.

Conclusion:

Any new reader or comic veteran could pick this Justice League book up and still have a great time. It gets readers up to speed, has great characters, and overall looks fantastic. Let’s hope that from here on out its space epics without delay.